[Federal Register: April 28, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 81)]
[Notices]
[Page 22058-22059]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28ap05-94]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Impact
Statement for the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish
Refuge, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
[[Page 22059]]
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announces that the Draft
Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) and Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) is available for Upper Mississippi River National
Wildlife and Fish Refuge.
The CCP was prepared pursuant to the National Wildlife Refuge
System Administration Act of 1966, as amended by the National Wildlife
Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, and the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969. Goals and objectives in the CCP describe how the
agency intends to manage the refuge over the next 15 years.
DATES: Comments on the Draft CCP/EIS must be received on or before
August 31, 2005.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Draft CCP are available on compact disk or
hard copy. You may access and download a copy via the planning Web
site: (http://www.fws.gov/midwest/planning/uppermiss/index.html) or you
may obtain a copy by writing to the following address: U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Division of Conservation Planning, Bishop Henry
Whipple Federal Building, 1 Federal Drive, Fort Snelling, Minnesota
55111.
All comments should be addressed to Upper Mississippi National
Wildlife and Fish Refuge, Attention: CCP Comment, 51 East 4th Street,
Room 101, Winona, Minnesota 55987, or direct e-mail to
r3planning@fws.gov. Comments may also be submitted through the
Service's regional Web site at: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/planning/.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Don Hultman at (507) 452-4232.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Upper Mississippi River National
Wildlife and Fish Refuge encompasses 240,000 acres along 261 miles of
Mississippi River floodplain in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and
Illinois. The Refuge was established by Congress in 1924 to provide a
refuge and breeding ground for migratory birds, fish, other wildlife,
and plants. The Refuge is perhaps the most important corridor of
habitat in the central United States due to its species diversity and
abundance, and it is the most visited refuge in the United States with
3.7 million annual visitors.
The focus of the CCP over the next 15 years will be on safeguarding
existing habitat; enhancing floodplain habitat in partnership with the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the states; increasing the abundance
of fish and wildlife; improving wildlife-dependent recreation
opportunities such as hunting, fishing, and wildlife observation;
ensuring that traditional non-wildlife-dependent recreation remains
compatible with the mission of the refuge system and the purposes of
the refuge; and improving staffing and infrastructure capability.
The EIS evaluates four alternatives: (1) No action or current
direction; (2) wildlife focus; (3) public use focus; and (4) wildlife
and integrated public use focus (preferred). The alternatives differ
mainly in the level of effort and resources given to fish and wildlife
and habitat management and public use opportunities and programs. Under
the preferred alternative all current recreational uses would continue,
although the location, season of use, and means of use could change.
The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, as
amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997
(16 U.S.C. 668dd-668ee et seq) requires the Service to develop a CCP
for each National Wildlife Refuge. The purpose in developing a CCP is
to provide refuge managers with a 15-year strategy for achieving refuge
purposes and contributing toward the mission of the National Wildlife
Refuge System, consistent with sound principles of fish and wildlife
management, conservation, legal mandates, and Service policies. In
addition to outlining broad management direction for conserving
wildlife and their habitats, the CCP identifies wildlife-dependent
recreational opportunities available to the public, including
opportunities for hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and
photography, and environmental education and interpretation. We will
review and update these CCPs at least every 15 years in accordance with
the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, as
amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997,
and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321-
4370d).
Dated: March 7, 2005.
Charles M. Wooley,
Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ft. Snelling,
Minnesota.
[FR Doc. 05-8498 Filed 4-27-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P